Tractor track and track unit



@et 26, l943- A. w. HERRINGTON TRACTOR TRACK AND TRACK UNIT Filed Sept. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 if, MMM w H w am W fm d H U md H Oct. 26, 1943.l A. w. HERRINGTON TRACTOR -TRACK AND TRACK UNIT 5 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Sept. 2l 1940 Oct 26, 1943. A. w. HERRINGTON 2,332,715

TRACTOR TRACK AND TRCK UNIT Filed Sept. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

afi/mr Il? @www TTORNEYS Oct. 26, 1943. A. w. HERRINGTON 2,332,715

TRACTOR TRACK AND TRACK UNIT Filed Sept. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-SheetA Fa; :11. F1150.' iz, 'i

Oct. 26, 1943.

A. w. HERRINGTON 2,332,715

TRACTOR TRACK AND TRACK UNIT iled Sept. 21, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VENTOR. ART/1w? WHEN/N6 mv,

part of an identical Patented Oct. 26, 1943 Y dianapol'is, Indi.,

raI corporationpf Indiana` j Y nppiieation sepiemter 21,194@A seriaifnc. 357.1589 sciaims. .wiens- 10) The object "of Lmy'invention isto'pro'v'i'de an improved form lo'f link.' a multipli-'city o'f which, ypivotal'ly vconnected in series; `,will yforni an 'efficient, long-iived, "lowv-resistance` endl-ess track 'ior veh`i` :ies of the vtrack-la:vin-gtype. u y

` 'The accompanying drawings illustrate my in-` V vennen.

rig. 1 is 'a ton plan of one compi-ete link and 'connected link 'embodying my invention;

Fig ,2 a ,side Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 an elevation of one end of a link; p Fig. 4 an elevation of the other end of a link; Fig. 5 a vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 a vertical section on line -S of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 a section, similar to Fig. 6, showing a modication;

elevation ofthe part 'Shown in ticity 4of compress l 'gprodu'ced vby bolts F6, `closely hugs `pins I8'i'n .the areas ofthe vertical mating :planes 21|, .122 'andfZS of the lin-ks.

The outer fend l'of `each lug I1, for about vthree- `quarters/olf 'its vertical crcsse'section; is circular,

while its .lower portion is or'frried into a ground'- :engagin'g rib TI'If, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper -edge of .platforms fit, flanking lug II is an over- ".hangingtip 1-25 the undersurface of which is con-` i 0 foentricwitntne `bore "t3, and the'opp'osite edge of the platform isa convex "surifaoe' 2t concentric Fig. 3 a vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 9 and 10, plans of two allochiral parts of 'a link;

Figs. 1l and 12, elevations of one end of the two allochiral parts;

Figs. 13 and 14, elevations of the other end of the two allochiral parts;

Figs. 15 and 16, elevations of the outer faces of the two allochiral parts; 'and Figs. 17 and 18, elevations of the abutting faces of the twoallochiral parts.

Each link is composed of two allochiral parts -1 each comprising a platform I0 to receive the tire of the supporting wheels of the vehicle and the rims of the usual driving sprocket and idler. Integral with each platform, at an outer corner,

is a lug II carrying a guard linger I2. Each bossv is providedwith a blind bore I3 open only at its inner end and the two bores are axially aligned,

their inner ends being separated the widths f opposite ends I4 of the `platforms I8, and said opposite ends are provided with aligned bores I5 capable of mating alignment with bores I3 of another link.

The two parts of each link are firmly united by means of a bolt I6 lying in bores I'I between bores I3 and I5.

Successively, links are pivotally connected by pivot pins I8 which extend through bores I5 of one link and project into the blind bores I3 of the adjacent link.

The open mouths of the bores I3 and I5 are counterbored to form coned annular pockets I9 in each pair of which packing 2D is mounted. This packing is preferably of one of the modern substitutes for rubber, unaffected by oils and grease and, either as a result of its inherent elasthat the upper faces of the platforms of connected links form a substantially .continuous surface upon which the associated wheels will ride. The

projecting outer ends of lugs I I serve as trunnions for engagement by the teeth of the assoelated sprocket Wheel.

The relative angular movement between two adjacent links is comparatively small and may be within the elastic limit of the packing but, in order to avoid disrupting the packing, it may be desirable to form each packing as two mating rings 20', 2li (Fig. 7') with a pair of thin metal washers 24, 211 therebetween.

A mating pair of link elements having been bolted together by a bolt I6, and pin I8 and associate packings 20 having been placed in bores I5, the blind bores I3 of the next mating pair of link elements are sleeved over the projecting ends of pin I8 and the link parts are connected by their bolt I 5. This operation is repeated until the requisite number of links are assembled with the final link connected to the initial link.

The pivoted action of each link relative to the next adjacent link takes place about pins I8 and, as boresl I3 are closed at their outer ends, no dirt can enter these bores at the ends of the pins and no means, other than the clamping bolts "5,- are required to retain pins I8 in place. The packings thoroughly guard the bores I3 and I5 against entry of grit and mud at points intermediate the lengths of pins I 8;

In orderj to avoid the possibility of the ends of pins I8 wearing through the blind ends of bores I3, a hardened thrust button 30 may be interposed between each end of pin I 8 and the bottom of bore I3.

I claim as my invention: i

1. An endless track, for track laying vehicles,

' composed of a plurality of links each of `which at one corner with a projecting lug having a blind termediate transverse alignable bores, said sevc eral bores having their open ends counterbor'ed;

and said main body having intermediatetransi bore alignable with a closed borev of a companion link, a pivot pin mountable in said last-mentioned transverse bores and the closed bores of a companion link, the combined Widths of said opposite ends of the link parts being less than twice the outward spacing of the inner end of one of said lugs from the adjacent abuttablevertical surface, and a bolt extending; through the said bolt-receiving bores and firmly; clamping said abuttable surfaces upon eachother.

3. A link for endless tracks of motor vehicles,

""fsaid link comprising two mating parts each hav' j' ing a kwheel-supporting platform defined at its verse alignable bores, a bolt mounted ,in said i last-mentioned bores and uniting 'the two. allochiral pieces, a pivot pin mounted in'eachrpair of second-mentioned bores with its opposite'nds s extended into the aligned bores of the adjacent. link, and an annular packing mountedin each mating pair of said counterbores.

2. A link for endless tracks of motor vehicles, said. link comprising ltwo allochiral parts each having a wheel-supporting platform defined at its inner side by a vertical surface abuttable upon the similar surface of itsV fellow and transversely v perforated by a bolt-receiving bore piercing said surface, and each `having at the outer corner atv one end a `transverse lug the inner vertical face -of which is outwardly .spacedfrom `said `abuttable surface and provided with al trans- 1 verse pivot-pn-bore v closed at its outer end, Y and each having at its opposite end a transverse inner side 'by a vertical surface abuttable upon the similar surface of its fellow and transversely I perforated by a bolt-receivingbore piercing said f s'urface,'andl each having at the outercorner'at I one end-vak transverse llug the inner vertical face of which is pin-boren closed at its outer end and each having attitsropposite enda transverse bore algnable with a ,closed bore of a companion link, ap'vot rpin mountable in said last-mentioned boresf and the closed bores of a companion link,'the'co1`n bined widths of said opposite ends of the link l parts being less than twice the total spacingbetweenfthe inner ends of said lugs, and a bolt'f'e'xtending vthrough the. said bolt-receivingnbcres and firmly clamping said abuttablejrsurfaces 'upon each other. Y l 4 ARTHUR/W. HERRINGr'l'QN.v

outwardly spaced from said abuttable` `surface-and provided with a transverse pivot- 

